Today I ran at the Charnwood AC open race at Loughborough University. I have raced at this track a few times before, and I always enjoy coming back. It is a first-class track and feels very modern and professional. Around the track, there are timers placed at every corner, which makes it easy to check your pace as you run. Because of this, I always feel confident here and believe that I can run well. It is also one of my favourite tracks because it gives me the chance to go for a personal best each time.
In this race, I was running the 1500 metres and was placed in the second heat. My personal best before the race was five minutes and seven seconds, and my aim was to beat that time. Normally, I push myself very hard at the start of a race, but then I lose energy too quickly. This time, I decided to try a different plan. I told myself I would begin at a steady pace, save my energy, and then push harder towards the later stages of the race.
This new approach worked really well at the start. I reached the 300 metre mark in 58 seconds, which was a strong time, and I felt very relaxed and comfortable. For most of the first half of the race, it felt like I was cruising. When I reached the third and fourth laps, I started to get stronger and stronger. Many runners in front of me had set off too fast, so I began overtaking them one by one. This gave me even more confidence as I could see my plan working perfectly.
When I reached the final lap, I still had energy left in my legs. I was able to sprint hard towards the finish line, giving everything I had. As I crossed the line, I checked my time and was delighted to see that I had run five minutes and six seconds. This meant I had set a new personal best for the 1500 metres, beating my old record by one second. Even though it was only a small improvement, it felt like a big achievement to me because I had raced in a smarter way and finished strongly.
As well as running for personal times, Charnwood AC were also handing out trophies. They awarded prizes to the first three boys and the first three girls in all categories. There were five or six heats for the 1500 metres, but when the results were checked, I found out I was the first under-11 boy overall. This meant I had won the gold medal. I felt so proud of myself, not only for setting a new personal best but also for winning my age group at such a big event.
Loughborough University is now even more special to me because of this success. Winning the gold medal and running a new fastest time on one of my favourite tracks made me very happy. My next goal is to get closer to running five minutes flat, and I know that with more training and smart racing, I can get there. For now, though, I am really pleased with how I performed. I felt strong, confident, and proud, and this race has shown me that patience and good planning can make all the difference.
